How to Set Up an Easy Games Night Party With DIY Decor That Actually Looks Cute

I threw a games night recently and wanted to share the setup because it's one of those parties that works for pretty much any group and any season. No fancy occasion needed — just friends, snacks, and some cheap DIY decor that makes it feel like an actual event.

Here's exactly what I did.

For the Monopoly money banner:

• Monopoly money (I got a pack on Amazon for about $6)
• String or twine
• Tape (or hot glue if you prefer)
• Scissors

For the prize medals:

• 3 candy bars in different sizes
• Ribbon
• Hot glue gun
• Sharpie paint pen

For the party setup:

• Games (Twister, Jenga, Uno, Exploding Kittens — whatever you have)
• A tapestry or backdrop
• Twister mat (to use as a tablecloth)
• Pop, ice cream, and toppings for a float station
• Tater tots, brownies, or other snackable food

This is stupid easy and cost me basically nothing.

I separated the bills by color so I'd have one of each in a group. That way when I hung them up, there was a natural order and it didn't look random.

Take each bill and cut the bottom two corners off so it forms a triangle shape at the bottom. Leave the top part uncut — that's where you'll fold it over the string.

Lay out your string, tuck the bill under it, fold the top over, and tape it down. That's it. I made two banners and they looked really cute hanging up.

These work as both prizes and decor. Pick three candy bars in different sizes — biggest for first place, smallest for third. I used Reese's cups because I like them, but use whatever.

Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to go around someone's neck. Hot glue the ribbon to the back of the candy bar. That's genuinely all you have to do.

I used a Sharpie paint pen to write 1, 2, and 3 on the front of each one so they looked a little more intentional. Then when you're not handing them out, you can hang them on the wall as part of the decoration.

I hung a brick tapestry from Society 6 as a backdrop, then put the Monopoly banner across the front.

Here's the hack I found on Pinterest that I loved: use a Twister mat as your tablecloth. It's literally a game board that doubles as a table covering. Perfect for a games night.

I taped the candy medals to the tapestry behind the banner so they filled the center space. They looked like they belonged there.

This depends on your friend group, but I stuck with classics. Monopoly, Twister (the mat was already on the table), Jenga, Uno, and Exploding Kittens. If you haven't played Exploding Kittens, get on that. It's great for teens and up and my friends and I play it constantly.

I do some kind of DIY station in all my party videos, and this time it was floats. I grabbed a bunch of Pop Shop sodas — root beer, cola, cream soda — and set them out with milk bottles. Mason jars would work too, and they might be easier for scooping ice cream into.

Vanilla ice cream is cheap. Pop is cheap. People can pick their own soda flavor. It's a crowd-pleaser that takes five minutes to set up.

You can go all out or just throw out bags of chips. I did one thing that worked really well: tater tot skewers.

Cook up a batch of tater tots, then stick them on cake pop sticks. That's it. People can grab a few at a time while they're playing, and they're easy to dip in ketchup. I also had brownies out because I'd just made some.

The whole setup took maybe an hour and cost under $20 for the decor stuff. The games and food depend on what you already have and how many people you're hosting.

I got most of these ideas from Pinterest, so definitely check there if you want more. If you end up doing a games night, tag me in photos — I'd love to see how it turns out.